Malnutrition in Latin America decreased from an estimated 21% in 1970 to 7.2%
in 1997, while the rate of poverty, measured by income level only slightly over the last three
decades, dropping from 45% in 1970 to 44% in 1997. These trends show that the reduction of
malnutritionis not solely dependant on increases in income. In Latin America, the gains in reducing
malnutrition are attributed at the underlying level to good care practicesand access to basic health
services, including familyplanning, and water/sanitation services; and at the basic level to women's
empowerment in terms of their education and the cash resources they control.